Heart to Heart
by Crion
Summary: Life at the Masaki household after the Haruna incident.


The everloved Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo and any of the characters within the work are not mine.  
  
This is my first *released* fanfic. As such, I happen to be quite happy with what I got going even though I wasn't kinda expecting for it to take off on me. This wasn't intended to be a multipart story it just evolved that way but with my habits, it might be a while before you ever see chapter two, or not. As everyone else says, please read and review.  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
Covered with sweat and exhausted from his bout with Katsuhito, Tenchi limped down shrine path to the house. He was curious as to why his grandfather seem particularly rough with him as he rubbed his sore muscles and the bruises that covered him. , he remembered.  
  
Tenchi stopped and looked up the stairs. "Why do you have to be so cryptic?", he asked as he turned back and sat down.  
  
The winter wind slicing up and over the mountain felt very nice. It dried the moisture that soaked his clothes and skin. After such a demanding workout, the breeze helped cool him off perfectly. It was definitely cold but it felt nice. The chilly air reminded him of the lake during the other seasons and how its cold waters were always an amazing contrast to the hot air. He gazed into the lake, smiling at the happy memories.  
  
The rapid evaporation of the sweat had long cooled him off and now the bite of winter was sinking in. Tenchi shakily stood up and continued to limp down the stairs, unaware of the golden eyes watching him or of the sleek body bearing down upon him.  
  
Ryoko glomped onto Tenchi's back and held him in a tight hug.  
  
"Tenchi! oh did you have a hard workout? How about I give you a relaxing massage or would you rather have a workout with me?", she purred.  
  
"Ryoko, could you please let go of me? Its cold and I want to get home to take a bath and get dinner."  
  
"You're right. We'd better get somewhere private to share our body heat if we're ever going to survive!", she exclaimed theatrically.  
  
Tenchi responded by blushing and began a futile attempt to dislodge the space pirate from his back. Deciding she toyed with him enough for now, Ryoko let go and floated to his side and offered him her hand.  
  
"Grab hold, I'll get us there in no time."  
  
Sensing a possible trap, Tenchi declined but still took her hand. "How about we just walk fast.", he said as he started down the stairs, pulling her effortlessly alongside.  
  
"Walk faster!", she demanded, "I don't like cold weather."  
  
Tenchi surprised Ryoko by giving her a tug so that she was brushing up against him and wrapped his arm around her. "Is that better?", he asked.  
  
"Much.", she murmured and placed her arms around his chest. Ryoko rested her head right near his heart and listen to its beat.  
  
* * *  
  
"Lord Tenchi..", the Jurian princess barely whispered.  
  
From the kitchen window, she saw Tenchi hug Ryoko and walk her down the shrine steps. Every since the incident with Haruna, he had been more open with his feelings to her and Ryoko. While it hurt Ayeka to see Tenchi with Ryoko, there were times when he would open up to her as well.  
  
She looked in the direction of Tenchi's room and smiled.  
  
* * *  
  
"Tenchi.."  
  
"Yes, Ryoko?"  
  
"What's going to happen now?", she tentatively asked. Ryoko knew that even though Tenchi would do anything to protect the girls, he would choose one of them.  
  
"Well.. It seems like you're going to make your decision soon and I had a bit of a talk with Ayeka about it." Ryoko ceased floating and was staring into Tenchi's eyes. "We will all be affected by it."  
  
"What did Ayeka have to say?"  
  
* * *  
  
Inside the women's bath sat Ryoko up to her neck in soothing, warm water, sipping saki. She finished washing herself long ago and was now content with soaking and enjoying Nobuyuki's expensive saki. Ryoko just topped off her glass when the door to the onsen slid open.  
  
"Ah well if it isn't the almighty First Princess, Ayeka, of Juria!", the space pirate sarcastically yelled.  
  
"Shut it, criminal!" The reply came back sharp and bitter.  
  
A flash of amusement crept into Ryoko's smile as she thought about Ayeka's very unprincess-like retort. I wonder what crawled up her butt, Ryoko thought with a chuckle.  
  
Something position itself in between her and the sun. Ryoko glanced up to see the princess scowling at her.  
  
"Keep that face on and Tenchi will pick me in no time!"  
  
"Can't you just shut for mouth for the few minutes that I'll be here?" Her words dripping with acid.  
  
Ryoko waved her off. Ayeka took the gesture as an agreement and moved to the other side of the pool. She scrubbed her skin using a washcloth then focused on her hair. After five minutes, she stopped and dunked herself underwater to remove the suds. Across the pool, Ryoko watched, interested in Ayeka's different routine.   
  
Indeed, Ayeka's body shook and tears fell and mixed in the warm water. The sudden awkwardness of the situation hit Ryoko as she felt torn between rubbing it in that Tenchi was leaning more toward her and attempting to console her rival for fear that if she didn't Tenchi would catch wind and be driven away. Her want for Tenchi overcame her apprehension and Ryoko swam over to Ayeka.  
  
"Look Ayeka.."  
  
"No, don't say anything." Her body continued to convulse slightly. She looked up, redeyed, at her sworn enemy. "Its just.. Its just that when Tenchi chooses you, I'll have to leave."  
  
Ryoko looked wide-eyed at Ayeka. She.. she just admitted defeat?!  
  
"What are you talking about?! Tenchi hasn't-"  
  
"Tenchi *and* I have. I surrendered him to you, you know that. And now I will have to return home."  
  
"And what torture that'll be. Walking into your palace."  
  
Ayeka quietly said, "Losing Tenchi is only half the pain.. Ryoko, do you know what it is like to be thought of as a tool by your father? The moment I set foot on Juria, he send off again to some more suitors. Azusa doesn't see me as his daughter, only as a political tool."  
  
Ryoko noted her use of her father's name rather than "daddy" or the like.  
  
"I'm am but a way to expand his might and rule.", Ayeka finished grandly before collapsing into a fit of tears.  
  
Thinking quickly, Ryoko handed the princess her glass of saki. "Drink.", she said firmly, "Ayeka, if you hate it so much why don't you just stay here like Yosho did. The emperor didn't pursue him."  
  
"The *emperor* didn't know what happened to Katsuhito. And besides if I left then Sasami would be in the same position I'm in." Ayeka stared into the water and said sadly, "I could never do that to her.", and swallowed the rest of her drink.  
  
Lost in thought, Ryoko gulped a swig from the saki bottle then filled up Ayeka's glass. Two minutes passed and Ryoko tried to put her thoughts into words.  
  
"Tenchi would never break any of our hearts. He'd sooner leave us hanging than to choose between us.", she said with a sad smile. "But you should at least be happy that if you go home you will have Sasami. She will always be by your side and even if your home is empty and cold, she will fill it with warmth. You're lucky to have family like her. To be part of a family.. Thats something I've only experienced here. I always wanted a family.", Ryoko paused her emotional babble and let out a deep sigh.  
  
"I wish I had a sister like Sasami. I wish I had *a* sister."  
  
"I thought you were always trying to steal Sasami.." Ayeka, also drunk to   
the rambling stage, uses the opening to make fun of her consoler. She only got out, "The Dreaded Space Pirate Ryoko, wanted throughout the universe, seeks female companionship for sisterly affection!", before breaking down in laughter. She slapped the object of her joke causing Ryoko to drop the saki bottle in the water. Ryoko fished the bottle out and, frowing, dumped the contents out before her and Ayeka then leaned against the princess and smiled.  
  
"Hey.. you'll be my sister woncha?"  
  
* * *  
  
"Umm.. oh not much.", lied Ryoko, "She is just worried.. She uh.. thinks you made your choice."  
  
Tenchi stopped walking and gaped at her.  
  
"Did you, Tenchi?", she asked softly, staring back into his eyes.  
  
He broke the eye contact and looked to the house. He thought of the woman with the purple hair whose love for him was only matched by the beauty at his side. Happy thoughts. Joyous times in which their feud was forgotten, often washed away by bottles of saki. Tenchi smiled.  
  
"Tenchi..?"  
  
"No Ryoko. I haven't. I just feel.. different."  
  
Ryoko nodded. He had been different after she rescued him from Haruna's dying fantasy life. He didn't have a single memory from his other, short-term life but the actions and habits he developed in that time still rested in him. No longer would he be so scared or annoyed when she or Ayeka latched onto him. Now if they grabbed onto his arm, he'd pull them closer while showing that he held no favorites. At first it hurt her to see him hold Ayeka but it made him smile and seeing his smile made all of the pain disappear.  
  
"To be honest Ryoko, I don't want to make the choice. I'm happy having you all around just as it is."  
  
She shivered slightly in his arms. "Can we hurry, please?"  
  
"Ok, Ryoko."  
  
* * *  
  
On the upper floor of the Masaki residence, looking out the window, sat the first princess of Juria. In her hands, she held a small canvas frame. Ayeka turned away from the window and ran her fingers over the dried paint on the cloth. Two brilliant purple streaks ran up and down, connected at the top by a half circle.  
  
Ayeka held the portrait that Tenchi was working on to her chest. She had been delighted when he asked if he could go on a walk with her on that day several weeks ago.  
  
* * *  
  
Stopping at the cliff where Ryoko once kicked off a hard-suited Mihoshi, Tenchi asked Ayeka to sit down, legs together and bent at the knee, looking to the sun, leaning on her right arm with her left resting across her thighs.  
  
She gave him a questioning look but did as he said.  
  
"Now stay in the position."  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him take out a flat, white object.  
  
"Tenchi.. What are you doing?"  
  
"Painting you."  
  
Ayeka stared at him wide-eyed and mouth agape. He laughed.  
  
"Try smiling. It'll look better."  
  
She complied with his request and thought,   
  
* * *  
  
She set the painting down and thumbed through his additional works. Distended blue streaks, similar to the one's marking Ayeka but arching up then down, and light sketch, Sasami. A blob of wavy yellow and pure blue circles, Mihoshi. Light sky blue or cyan polygon wind blown back over gold feline eyes, Ryoko. Not one of them seemingly more finished than the other.  
  
"When did Tenchi run off with you?", she asked the portrait of the clumsy GP detective. Before she could get an answer, Ayeka heard Sasami welcome Tenchi and Ryoko back then scold them for being out in the cold without the proper winter clothing.  
  
Ayeka slid Mihoshi's portrait after Sasami's and rushed out of Tenchi's room.  
  
* * *  
  
"Well, tell Katsuhito that I said you should be wearing more appropriate clothing!"  
  
Ayeka watched the entertaining situation. Sasami had Tenchi backed up against the door, going on about the time he went out clothed in similar garments only to come back sick. Ryoko wasn't really helping his predicament, she was just sort of standing there watching Tenchi squirm under Sasami's rant. Tenchi desperately needed an escape and seeing Ayeka, he took full advantage.  
  
"Sasami!" She paused. "What's for dinner?"  
  
The little princess "eeped" once and ran into the kitchen to check on the food while Tenchi went the other way to the bathroom. Ryoko floated up to her beam, humming nothing that resembled a song but it was happy little tune in its own way. Ayeka sat down on the steps watching her long-time rival and thought about how differently everyone was.   
  
As if sensing Ayeka's thoughts Ryoko chuckled. Ayeka's eye's caught Ryoko moving around on her perch. She turned her head to focus on the pirate. , she thought seeing Ryoko craddling yet another one of Nobuyuki's supposely hidden bottles of saki. She pulled herself up and walked over to the couch, grabbed a small corner pillow and tossed it at Ryoko. Ayeka smiled triumphantly until she felt warm liquid soak through her hair and dribble down her back. Above her sat a grinning Ryoko, a heated bottle of saki, and empty, upside down glass.  
  
"That makes us even!", Ryoko called as flew from her beam and phased the wall.  
  
The princess "Hmph"ed and stomped away.  
  
* * *  
  
Ayeka cringed the moment she stepped into the women's bath. Layed out, no doubt for her to see, was Ryoko's dress and right smack in the middle, a wet sploch. She raised an eyebrow and adopted a thoughtful look on her face.  
  
When was the last time Ryoko made things *even*? The obvious answer: never. It usually went on the terms like "You ate last rice ball that I called even though I already ate most of them so now I get to kill you." Could it be that Ryoko, a once universally want space pirate and her long time enemy *and* archrival for Tenchi's love, was attempting to be more civil?!  
  
Perhaps their drunken reconciliation was not forgotten afterall. And they did have some precedent. For a couple of months they lived side by side looking for Tenchi, working together, supporting each other so clearly being nice to one another was certainly with in their capabilities.  
  
She absently thought about her situation with Ryoko as she got undressed. Clutching a towl, she made her way to the main pool to the sound of laughter and splashing.  
  
* * *  
  
"...this time the bottle didn't go in. Oh speak of the princess! Come on! Join us!"  
  
Nobuyuki's hidden booze certainly was better than the stuff he left out. Ryoko was already giggling and flushed. Washu sat next to her, holo-laptop depolyed and analyzing Nobuyuki's saki. Nothing that out of the ordinary for the Masaki home.  
  
"Ooh! Found it!", annouced the space pirate, victoriously holding up her glass she had been groping the pool for. She reached for the saki bottle only to find it in Ayeka's hands.  
  
"I wasa gonna be using that, princess."  
  
"Ryoko, tsk tsk.. hasn't Nobuyuki asked you to stop 'liberating' his drinks?"  
  
Ryoko hung her head in a feigned shameful look and blew bubbles in the water, giggling.  
  
"But thats not to say she doesn't have good taste in her choices.", piped Washu. "Not ones that I couldn't improve but still good ones. If Ryoko holds up her end of the bargin, Nobuyuki's stash will be safe for a few months."  
  
"What bargin?", asked Ayeka.  
  
The holo-laptop rotated showing a largish document. At the bottom was Ryoko's distorted signature. "To sum it up, Ryoko is my subject for several experiments."  
  
Several seconds of blinking is quickly by a minute and a half of nervous laughter before the implications cut through the alcohol and jarred Ryoko's mind alert.  
  
"WHAT?!" 


End file.
